Indus/Harappa Civilisation – UGC NET History – Practice Questions

Origin and Extent of Harappan Civilisation

1. The significance of the inscribed seals of the Indus civilization was understood after excavations at:
A) Mohenjodaro
B) Lothal
C) Harappa
D) Dholavira

2. Excavations at Harappa in 1920–21 were led by:
A) Rakhal Das Banerji
B) Mortimer Wheeler
C) R.S. Bisht
D) Pandit Daya Ram Sahni

3. Mohenjodaro was excavated in the following year by:
A) H.D. Sankalia
B) Rakhal Das Banerji
C) Daya Ram Sahni
D) B.B. Lal

4. The discovery of Harappa and Mohenjodaro revealed a civilization comparable in antiquity to:
A) Roman civilization only
B) Greek civilization only
C) Egypt, Mesopotamia and Elam
D) Chinese civilization only

5. The announcement of the discovery of the Indus civilization was published in 1924 in:
A) The Hindu
B) Nature
C) Archaeology Today
D) Illustrated London News

6. Harappa is situated in the:
A) Lower Indus valley
B) Ghaggar basin
C) Upper Indus valley
D) Kutch region

7. Mohenjodaro is situated in the:
A) Upper Indus valley
B) Punjab region
C) Gujarat coast
D) Lower Indus valley

8. Why was the civilization initially called the ‘Indus Civilization’?
A) Due to Sanskrit inscriptions
B) Because Harappa and Mohenjodaro were located in the Indus valley
C) Due to Greek accounts
D) Because all sites were near Indus tributaries only

9. The greatest cluster of Harappan sites is found in:
A) Gujarat
B) Baluchistan
C) Cholistan section of the Hakra plain
D) Kutch

10. Which river is identified by some scholars with the Hakra?
A) Ravi
B) Beas
C) Sarasvati
D) Sutlej

11. The most logical term for the civilization, based on archaeological naming conventions, is:
A) Indus Valley Civilization
B) Sarasvati Civilization
C) Hakra Civilization
D) Harappan Civilization

12. The outermost Harappan site located in northeastern Afghanistan is:
A) Manda
B) Gumla
C) Shortughai
D) Balakot

13. Shortughai was located near which tributary of the Oxus?
A) Ravi
B) Hakra
C) Kokcha
D) Chambal

14. Shortughai was strategically important because of access to:
A) Gold mines
B) Cotton fields
C) Lapis lazuli from Badakhshan
D) Timber forests

15. Which Makran coast sites are believed to have functioned as ports?
A) Harappa and Mohenjodaro
B) Kalibangan and Banawali
C) Sutkagendor and Sotka-koh
D) Rakhigarhi and Hulas

16. Nausharo gained importance because of its position near:
A) Khyber Pass
B) Bolan Pass
C) Mula Pass
D) Karakoram Pass

17. Pathani Damb was important because it lay near:
A) Bolan route
B) Ravi valley
C) Mula pass
D) Ghaggar river

18. Harappan occupation in the Gumal valley is represented by:
A) Rakhigarhi
B) Gumla
C) Banawali
D) Mitathal

19. Mohenjodaro is located in the agriculturally rich:
A) Cholistan region
B) Larkana region
C) Punjab plains
D) Makran coast

20. Which site cluster near Derawar Fort contained 174 Harappan sites?
A) Gujarat cluster
B) Ravi basin cluster
C) Hakra cluster
D) Kutch cluster

21. The largest site in the Hakra cluster is:
A) Harappa
B) Mohenjodaro
C) Ganweriwala Ther
D) Kalibangan

22. Harappa is located on the old bed of which river?
A) Sutlej
B) Ravi
C) Yamuna
D) Beas

23. Rakhigarhi is one of the largest Harappan sites in:
A) Sindh
B) Baluchistan
C) Gujarat
D) Haryana region

24. Which site in Kutch exceeds 100 hectares in size?
A) Lothal
B) Surkotada
C) Dholavira
D) Rangpur

25. The spread of Harappan civilization was mainly linked with:
A) Religious expansion
B) Military conquest
C) Agricultural base and alluvial systems
D) Foreign colonization

26. The early Harappan form is archaeologically known as:
A) Mature Harappan phase
B) Cemetery H phase
C) Kot Dijian level
D) Painted Grey Ware phase

27. Which sites clearly show the transition from early to mature Harappan phase?
A) Harappa, Kunal, and Dholavira
B) Mohenjodaro, Lothal, and Kuntasi
C) Kalibangan, Banawali, and Hulas
D) Harappa, Kunal, and Dholavira

28. Which major feature marks the mature Harappan phase?
A) Iron tools
B) Buddhist stupas
C) Writing and standardized art forms
D) Megalithic burials

29. Copper metallurgy along which mountain range played a catalytic role in Harappan development?
A) Vindhyas
B) Himalayas
C) Satpuras
D) Aravallis

30. According to R.S. Bisht and H.P. Francfort, irrigation systems likely existed in the:
A) Baluchistan hills
B) Kutch peninsula
C) Indo-Gangetic divide
D) Makran coast

31. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer.

A-1 (a)-(iii), (b)-(i), (c)-(ii), (d)-(iv)
B-2 (a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)
C-3 (a)-(iv), (b)-(ii), (c)-(i), (d)-(iii)
D-4 (a)-(i), (b)-(iv), (c)-(iii), (d)-(ii)

Correct Answer: A

32. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer.

A-1 (a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(i), (d)-(iv)
B-2 (a)-(iii), (b)-(ii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)
C-3 (a)-(i), (b)-(iv), (c)-(ii), (d)-(iii)
D-4 (a)-(iv), (b)-(i), (c)-(iii), (d)-(ii)

Correct Answer: A

33. Assertion (A): The Harappan civilization expanded only within the Indus river valley.
Reason (R): Harappan sites are found in Gujarat, Baluchistan and the Ganga-Yamuna Doab.

A) Both (A) and (R) are true
B) (A) is true but (R) is false
C) (A) is false but (R) is true
D) Both (A) and (R) are false

34. Assertion (A): The term ‘Harappan Civilization’ follows archaeological naming conventions.
Reason (R): Archaeological cultures are often named after the site where first identified.

A) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
B) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
C) (A) is true but (R) is false
D) (A) is false but (R) is true